Three Cemeteries and Catacombs to Discover in Naples
Naples, Italy, exhibits a distinctive bond with mortality, evident in three underground locations. The Cimitero di Santa Maria del Popolo, established in 1763 by Ferdinando Fuga under King Ferdinand IV of Bourbon, was the first public cemetery for the impoverished in Europe, situated beyond the city's walls. It contains 366 graves, each corresponding to a day of the year, with operations ceasing in 1890 due to dignity concerns. The Cimitero delle Fontanelle, an ossuary created in 1656 for victims of the plague, saw organization by canon Gaetano Barbati in 1872, giving rise to the 'anime pezzentelle' cult. Meanwhile, the Catacombs of San Gennaro, originating in the 2nd century AD and expanded in the 4th and 5th centuries, transformed into a site of pilgrimage. These locations symbolize Naples' lasting ties to its deceased.
Key facts
- Cimitero di Santa Maria del Popolo (Cemetery of 366 Graves) was designed by Ferdinando Fuga for King Ferdinand IV of Bourbon and opened in 1763.
- It was the first public cemetery in Europe, first for the poor, and first built outside city walls.
- The cemetery has a grid of 19x19 basalt stones, each marking a pit 4m wide and 12m deep, assigned to a day of the year.
- The system ended in 1890 because numbering the dead was seen as undignified.
- Cimitero delle Fontanelle is an ossuary in tuff, originally a cave used for plague victims in 1656 (over 250,000 dead).
- In 1872, canon Gaetano Barbati organized the bones with local women, leading to the cult of 'anime pezzentelle' (begging souls).
- The Church declared the cult superstition in 1969, but it continues.
- Catacombs of San Gennaro date from the 2nd century AD, with 3rd-century frescoes in Pompeian style and 5th-century mosaics.
Entities
Artists
- Ferdinando Fuga
- Gaetano Barbati
- Totò
- Luisa Gaiardoni
Institutions
- Artribune
Locations
- Naples
- Italy
- Rione Sanità
- Cimitero di Santa Maria del Popolo
- Cimitero delle Fontanelle
- Catacombe di San Gennaro